Time Capsule – Rendezvous Reenactments and American History

Lighthouse Patriot Journal is not just advocacy for political reform, it is a journal that covers as many topics as the varied interests of its readers (as well as myself) and thus the reason why it has been coined as a “journal” or “e-journal.” LPJ has the honor of readers from across the sea – Karen & Freddy, Denmark and Elizabeth from England, to name a few. There are the regular contributors like Diane S, Wisconsin; HM, Illinois; CJ, Wisconsin; Tara, Wisconsin; and a newcomer, Quills, Iowa, who sent me information about her friend and adopted brother, Blackhawk of Wisconsin who she used to travel with and his wife when she was younger and recently attended a yearly “rendezvous” here in Wisconsin to continue their Rendezvous tradition.

Blackhawk, aka Richard “Dick” Kapusta, writes songs about Wisconsin, wolves, loons, the mountains, friendship and eagles and is an accomplished musician. This tradition shared with another friend, Cindy Shave, began twenty years ago. Quills favorite Blackhawk songs are Dancing in the Sun, Song of Life, Northern Lights, Eagle Eyes, White Buffalo, Friends and The Loon.Richard Kapusta has a website that introduces himself and his music and love of the outdoors and a part of American history that could have been long forgotten if it weren’t for these modern Americans who have reenacted this part of American history. The modern rendezvous is a recreation of the original ones, complete with period clothes, blackpowder pistols and guns and good old fashioned fun. Blackhawk’s writes: “Each one reach one, each one teach one. … We are not human beings having spiritual experiences; we are spiritual beings having human experiences. So if you mess up, get over it. Move on, go and grow. Life’s a trip, enjoy the ride.”

Some may think that history is something that belongs to the past, ancient or period or recent – but everyday of our lives is a contribution to history around the globe.But just what is “rendezvous” in the sense of a mountain man/trapper gathering?

According to Wikipedia: “Rendezvous is the anglification of the French word meaning ‘appointment’ (literally, ‘meet you’); it is prounounced RAHN-DAY-VOO. In a general sense, it means any type of meeting or generally between two persons.” In the sense I am discussing here, it is an American tradition that began with the French trappers in early American history even before this nation became a republic. Today they still exist in several ways and all based upon the original tradition. There is the Riverfront Rendezvous at Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Woodsong Rendezvous at Pembine, Wisconsin; Montana 1830’s Encampment. These are historical reenactments of the gatherings of the Mountain Men during the fur-trade era of the American West. Lovers of America’s history, the great outdoors and the beauty of America’s natural resources get together from all over the country to create an old-time camp that recreates the sense of the past. A Rendezvous is like going back into time, and the one in Montana recreates the period of the 1830’s. The modern-day rendezvous is tamer than the original ones in history. The original rendezvous camps would feature riotous drinking which sometimes led to violent fights, gambling and debauchery. But it was generally what it was established for – a place to meet up and trade goods, mostly furs that the trader had obtained from trapping animals like beaver, buffalo and other furry animals. In return they would restock their supplies of gunpowder, foodstuff, clothing, homemade liquor, and sometimes livery stock like horses and mules. Sometimes at these rendezvous they would find wives that were hearty enough to withstand the rugged life of Mountain Men. The wives were usually Indian women because the local Indians would participate in these trades and meeting events with the Mountain Men. Today, for many, it is a a way to get away from the pressures of modern society and wear clothing of the period. They also have the opportunity to trade, as the original rendezvous, and obtain finely handcrafted wood furniture, hunting knives, beadwork, and items that are recreations of a period of American history long gone.

The legends of Mountain Men that became famous through their deeds have been recorded in book and films over the past thirty years, especially during the 1970s. While some of the tales is myth, even those tall tales were based upon truth. Francis Parkman wrote: “I defy the annals of chivalry to furnish the record of a life more wild and perilous than that of a Rocky Mountain trapper.”

“The mountain man’s life was ruled not by the calendar or the clock but by the climate and seasons. In the fall and spring, the men would trap. The start of the season and its length were dictated by the weather. The spring hunt was usually the most profitable, with the pelts still having their winter thickness. Spring season would last until the pelt quality became low. In July, the groups of mountain men and the company suppliers would gather at the summer rendezvous. There, the furs were sold, supplies were bought and company trappers were divided into parties and delegated to various hunting grounds. The tradition of the Rendezvous was started by General William Ashley’s men of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company in 1825. What began as a practical gathering to exchange pelts for supplies and reorganize trapping units evolved into a month long carnival in the middle of the wilderness. The gathering was not confined to trappers, and attracted women and children, Indians, French Canadians, and travelers. Mountain man James Beckworth described the festivities as a scene of ‘mirth, songs, dancing, shouting, trading, running, jumping, singing, racing, target-shooting, yarns, frolic, with all sorts of extravagances that white men or Indians could invent.’ An easterner gave his view: ‘mountain companies are all assembled on this season and make as crazy as set of men I ever saw.’ There were horse races, running races, target shooting and gambling. Whiskey drinking accompanied all of them. After rendezvous, the men headed off to their fall trapping grounds. Contrary to the common image of the lonely trapper, the mountain men usually traveled in brigades of 40 to 60, including camp tenders and meat hunters. From the brigade camps, they would fan out to trap in parties of two or three. It was then that the trappers were most vulnerable to Indian attack. Indians were a constant threat to the trappers and confrontation was common. The Blackfeet were by far the most feared, but the Arikaras and Comanche were also to be avoided. The Shoshone, Crows and Mandans were usually friendly, however, trust between trapper and native was always tenuous. Once the beaver was trapped, they were skinned immediately, allowed to dry, and then folded in half, fur to the inside. Beaver pelts, unlike buffalo robes, were compact, light and very portable. This was essential, as the pelts had to be hauled to rendezvous for trade. It is estimated that 1,000 trappers roamed the American West in this manner from 1820 to 1830, the heyday of the Rocky Mountain fur trade.” [Pathfinders of the West, 1810-1860]

Thank you Quills for sharing this piece of history and the story about your friend, Blackhawk of Wisconsin and bringing back memories of my interest in these rendezvous, historical reenactments and my former hobby of target shooting with blackpowder firearms. Also visit Mountain men and the Fur Trade.

Further Reading: American Studies and Virgin Land.

To read about famous mountain men visit Overland Trail created and maintained by Elizabeth Larson.